via wiifanboy

As the second golf title (third if you want to count Wii Sports), Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 has apparently gotten it right as many of the critics who reviewed the game have bestowed above-average scores on the game. We haven't gotten our hands on it yet, but with these positive scores, we're definitely more interested. Personally, we're hoping that the Wii controls provide a better solution to putting, as we've always had a problem with that on your standard controller.

But enough about us. Shall we check out what they had to say?

GameZone (83/100) sees the Wii installment as something fans of the series will like: "If you are already a Tiger Woods PGA Tour fan, you will surely appreciate the unique translation on the Wii. Compared to Wii Golf, Tiger Woods 07 is a lot more user friendly."
1UP (75/100) thinks the controls could use a little tweaking: "The control hiccups may cause problems, but most of them can be countered with care. But the biggest bonus: Not once will you see starlight dancing off the ball."
GameSpot (75/100) says it's a great choice for a golf game: "Tiger Woods 07's excellent use of the Wii's motion-sensing abilities makes it a worthwhile purchase for anyone looking to hit the links on the Wii."
EGM (73/100) is of the mind that the game could cause you some major arthritis: "As for Tiger's mechanics, arthritics beware. If my backswing was jittery, I swung before I intended to--which is frustrating, as the maddening result is a dink instead of a dive." [Apr 2007, p.83]
Any readers pick up the game yet and want to agree/disagree with the critics? ...

via bloomberg

Sony Corp., the world's biggest maker of game consoles, shipped 5 million PlayStation Portable machines in Japan by the end of January, lagging behind Nintendo Co.'s DS handheld devices by about three to one.

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.'s spokesman, Satoshi Fukuoka, gave the PSP shipment numbers in a phone interview today, confirming an earlier report by the Nikkei newspaper. Both the DS and PSP went on sale in Japan in December 2004.

Nintendo, the world's biggest maker of handheld players, has shipped 14.4 million DS units in Japan by the end of 2006, the Kyoto-based company said, giving its latest available figures.

Sony Chief Executive Officer Howard Stringer is facing declining profit for the group because of losses at the game unit on costs related to the PlayStation 3 and slower-than-expected PSP sales. The company is losing market share to Nintendo's DS, which attracts users with the help of a touch-sensitive screen and games that let them play Frisbee with virtual pets.

Wii sales in Japan totaled 1.69 million units as of Feb. 25, compared with 700,747 for PS3, according to Enterbrain Inc., a Tokyo-based research firm. Consumers are attracted to the Wii's price, at half that of the least-expensive PlayStation 3, and a wireless controller that can be swung like a bat or tennis racquet during play.

PlayStation 3 production snags created supply problems during the holiday shopping season, forcing Sony to concede market share to the Wii. Sony is relying on sales of Bravia TVs and Cyber-shot cameras to make up for losses at the game business.

Wider Loss

Tokyo-based Sony in January forecast losses at the games unit to exceed its October forecast of 200 billion yen ($1.7 billion) for the year ending March 31, because of price cuts to fend off the Wii. The loss will be less than 250 billion yen, Sony said.

The company cut the price of the PS3 in Japan after consumers there complained the player was too expensive compared with players from Nintendo and Microsoft Corp. The PlayStation 3 includes a Blu-ray DVD player that allows users to watch movies in a high-definition format, in addition to playing games.

Both the Wii and PlayStation 3 were introduced in November as competitors to Microsoft's Xbox 360, which was released in 2005. The Wii's $250 price tag compares with $499 and $599 for the PlayStation 3. The Xbox 360 sells for $299 and $399 ...

via bloomberg

Sony Corp., the world's biggest maker of game consoles, shipped 5 million PlayStation Portable machines in Japan by the end of January, lagging behind Nintendo Co.'s DS handheld devices by about three to one.

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.'s spokesman, Satoshi Fukuoka, gave the PSP shipment numbers in a phone interview today, confirming an earlier report by the Nikkei newspaper. Both the DS and PSP went on sale in Japan in December 2004.

Nintendo, the world's biggest maker of handheld players, has shipped 14.4 million DS units in Japan by the end of 2006, the Kyoto-based company said, giving its latest available figures.

Sony Chief Executive Officer Howard Stringer is facing declining profit for the group because of losses at the game unit on costs related to the PlayStation 3 and slower-than-expected PSP sales. The company is losing market share to Nintendo's DS, which attracts users with the help of a touch-sensitive screen and games that let them play Frisbee with virtual pets.

Wii sales in Japan totaled 1.69 million units as of Feb. 25, compared with 700,747 for PS3, according to Enterbrain Inc., a Tokyo-based research firm. Consumers are attracted to the Wii's price, at half that of the least-expensive PlayStation 3, and a wireless controller that can be swung like a bat or tennis racquet during play.

PlayStation 3 production snags created supply problems during the holiday shopping season, forcing Sony to concede market share to the Wii. Sony is relying on sales of Bravia TVs and Cyber-shot cameras to make up for losses at the game business.

Wider Loss

Tokyo-based Sony in January forecast losses at the games unit to exceed its October forecast of 200 billion yen ($1.7 billion) for the year ending March 31, because of price cuts to fend off the Wii. The loss will be less than 250 billion yen, Sony said.

The company cut the price of the PS3 in Japan after consumers there complained the player was too expensive compared with players from Nintendo and Microsoft Corp. The PlayStation 3 includes a Blu-ray DVD player that allows users to watch movies in a high-definition format, in addition to playing games.

Both the Wii and PlayStation 3 were introduced in November as competitors to Microsoft's Xbox 360, which was released in 2005. The Wii's $250 price tag compares with $499 and $599 for the PlayStation 3. The Xbox 360 sells for $299 and $399 ...

via guardian

It seemed like such a great story: the real truth from the Swiss company that makes the sensors in the Wii remote about how it won the contract because it was so farsighted and spotted a great market. You could read all about it in IEEE Spectrum:

Nintendo's Wii is the hottest computer game and arguably the only one that's good for you. Its two wireless remote controls track any movement, encouraging players to engage opponents with a heart-pounding physicality that is already melting fat off overfed children. Yet although detecting motion is critical to the success of the US $250 game, the job depends on $3 sensors the size of shirt buttons.

And who made them? Stand up (well, ring up the journalist and say "Hello?") ST Microelectronics, based in Geneva, and "Benedetto Vigna, the Italian physicist who developed the sensor." There's a long explanation of how STM "met Nintendo in March of 2005: our vision was in line with their vision, and we got married, he says. Two months later, ST delivered a prototype sensor, and 16 months after that, Nintendo launched worldwide sales."

Great story! Except for one thing: it wasn't entirely true. ST Microelectronics is not the maker of the sensor in the main Wiimote. No, as Philip Ross, the web editor, explains in his "substantial correction", that honour belongs to Analog Devices Inc:

it was ADI that had supplied the 3-dimensional accelerometer in the Wii's main controller. ST, [ADI noted], had merely provided the sensor in the secondary, "nunchuk" controller. It's secondary because most games now available don't even use it. Indeed, I'd played the baseball, tennis, and bowling games myself, all without having had recourse to the nunchuk.

As a journalist, one tends to go "Aw, crap" when that happens. And feel a little irked.

So I put the question to [the PR person at ST Microelectronics]: if the two chips were interchangeable, then why had the ADI chip been chosen for use in the main controller? "We would argue that both companies came out very well," he replied.
Why had he and Vigna characterized the ST chip as the "core" of the Wii, essential to its success? "I would say our answers were not misleading; they were precisely accurate. If you didn't do external research to find out about Analog, it's not our job."
Okay, okay, so I screwed up: I trusted these guys, and they hornswoggled me. In the old days, my only response would have been to say, "fool me once, shame on you." Nowadays, I have more options. I can, for instance, write this blog.
By the way, if anyone from STMicroelectronics was planning to call and tell us how they made the chip for the Wiimote, we're afraid we're busy... No, honestly... ...

Play Asia have posted the latest Import releases and its just a DS and PS2 day today, heres the listing of whats been released:

PlayStation2™:
Konjiki no Corda 2 JPN US$ 64.90
Konjiki no Corda 2 [Premium Box] JPN N/A
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Koutetsu no Girlfriend Special Edition (Best Hit) JPN US$ 34.90
Princess Maker 4 (Best Hit) JPN US$ 34.90
Rozen Maiden: Duel Valzer (Taito Best) JPN US$ 34.90

Nintendo DS™:
Finger Print Guard Film DS Lite US$ 12.90
Konami Arcade Collection JPN US$ 39.90
Kuru Poto JPN US$ 29.90
KuruKuru Princess: Figure de KiraKira Koori no Angel JPN US$ 48.90
Tokimeki Memorial: Girl's Side 1st Love JPN US$ 48.90

Calendar:
Gyakuten Saiban 4 2007-2008 School Calendar JPN US$ 14.90 ...

Play Asia have posted the latest Import releases and its just a DS and PS2 day today, heres the listing of whats been released:

PlayStation2™:
Konjiki no Corda 2 JPN US$ 64.90
Konjiki no Corda 2 [Premium Box] JPN N/A
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Koutetsu no Girlfriend Special Edition (Best Hit) JPN US$ 34.90
Princess Maker 4 (Best Hit) JPN US$ 34.90
Rozen Maiden: Duel Valzer (Taito Best) JPN US$ 34.90

Nintendo DS™:
Finger Print Guard Film DS Lite US$ 12.90
Konami Arcade Collection JPN US$ 39.90
Kuru Poto JPN US$ 29.90
KuruKuru Princess: Figure de KiraKira Koori no Angel JPN US$ 48.90
Tokimeki Memorial: Girl's Side 1st Love JPN US$ 48.90

Calendar:
Gyakuten Saiban 4 2007-2008 School Calendar JPN US$ 14.90 ...

New from Play Asia:



features
Head to head worldwide dueling via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
Includes over 1,600 of the latest cards and more available via download
Voice chat available before you start dueling
Create and edit the look of your character

description
For the first time, the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Tournament series makes its debut on the Nintendo DS™. The official software of the 2007 Yu-Gi-Oh! World Tournament makes worldwide wireless dueling possible utilizing the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection. The game will include 1,600 of the latest cards and more cards will be available for download. Create your best deck and prepare for the World Tournament in the Summer of 2007.

Buy Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters World Championship 2007 ...

New from Play Asia:



features
Head to head worldwide dueling via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
Includes over 1,600 of the latest cards and more available via download
Voice chat available before you start dueling
Create and edit the look of your character

description
For the first time, the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Tournament series makes its debut on the Nintendo DS™. The official software of the 2007 Yu-Gi-Oh! World Tournament makes worldwide wireless dueling possible utilizing the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection. The game will include 1,600 of the latest cards and more cards will be available for download. Create your best deck and prepare for the World Tournament in the Summer of 2007.

Buy Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters World Championship 2007 ...

New from Play Asia:



features
Head to head worldwide dueling via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
Includes over 1,600 of the latest cards and more available via download
Voice chat available before you start dueling
Create and edit the look of your character

description
For the first time, the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Tournament series makes its debut on the Nintendo DS™. The official software of the 2007 Yu-Gi-Oh! World Tournament makes worldwide wireless dueling possible utilizing the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection. The game will include 1,600 of the latest cards and more cards will be available for download. Create your best deck and prepare for the World Tournament in the Summer of 2007.

Buy Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters World Championship 2007 ...